Some call it the “African silence” when a forest is struck silent by poaching and the bushmeat trade. Others call this phenomenon “dead zones” that have no birds, no monkeys, no small mammals, no snakes… These places have been stripped bare by local communities that are struggling to feed their families and access medical care. The Mbuti pygmy encampments photographed in the early 1980s depict a wire- and nylon-free lifestyle that saw them capture forest animals on a daily basis for local consumption. Today most of the bushmeat is exported to distant markets by bicycle, 4×4 vehicles, and on foot. No one has the right to judge these people when they focus on bushmeat as their only source of protein. We must, however, restrict use of forest products, as far as possible, to people with heritage rights to the land, as they are the custodians of these forests. Terese and John Hart are committed to witnessing, studying, conserving and combatting the atrocities of the bushmeat trade in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Over the next few weeks I will post a series of summary posts linking back to their blogs on their website: http://www.bonoboincongo.com/…

It was not until 1929 that anatomists realized that there was an ape enough like the chimpanzee to be Pan but different enough to be a new species. (Terese Hart)

Bushmeat: Every Man’s Protein – Until the Forest is Empty

In some of DR Congo’s most remote forest we are witnessing a cascading clean-out of large wildlife. It is like watching a cloud-shadow creep over the forest; where it passes, it leaves an invisible, permanent absence. The edge is pushed forward by an advancing web of hunter’s paths crisscrossed with long snare lines, a litter of shotgun cartridges, and small leaf-shack hunting camps. (http://www.bonoboincongo.com/2008/02/26/bushmeat-3-the-history-of-hunting-in-tl2/)

TL2 landscape in Democratic Republic of Congo with its proposed national park and surrounding reserve. (Terese Hart)In August 2009, this bicycle transporter headed for Kindu has a goat, chickens and rice, all on two wheels... (Terese Hart)Bushmeat market vendors and shoppers. There is so much superstition and prestige wrapped up in bushmeat that it will be hard to control... (Terese Hart)

(3) A rainforest giraffe endemic to DRCongo is also in TL2 and caught in snare traps. In fact all large mammals of the TL2 are under pressure. That includes 10 species of monkey, including a new species (Lesula is common name) and two rare subspecies Cercopithecus mona elegans and Piliocolobus oustaleti parmentieri. Each of these three primate species is found in only a small area of forest and nowhere else.

A traditional hunting camp of the Mbuti pygmies in the early 1980s. They set off daily for net hunts, with nets made from the local forest liana they call Kusa. No nylon, no wire. This kind of local consumption is sustainable... (Terese Hart)Okapi at park headquarters in the Réserve de Faune à Okapi. (Kim Gjerstad)Elephant bones scattered on the floor of the Lomami forest show where poaching occurred. We found in the Ituri that such sites were often visited for years afterwards by surviving members of the elephant family. (Terese Hart)

Post a comment

National Geographic Voices

Researchers, conservationists, and others share stories, insights and ideas about Our Changing Planet, Wildlife & Wild Spaces, and The Human Journey. More than 50,000 comments have been added to 10,000 posts. Explore the list alongside to dive deeper into some of the most popular categories of the National Geographic Society's conversation platform Voices.

Opinions are those of the blogger and/or the blogger's organization, and not necessarily those of the National Geographic Society. Posters of blogs and comments are required to observe National Geographic's community rules and other terms of service.

Voices director: David Braun (dbraun@ngs.org)

Fighting Wildlife Crime: The Unsung Heroes

Journalist and National Geographic Fellow Bryan Christy uses investigative journalism to expose illegal wildlife trafficking around the globe. In this video he introduces a a series of interviews with the people fighting wildlife crime on the front lines.

Blog Search

Search for:

Fulbright-National Geographic

The Fulbright-National Geographic Digital Storytelling Fellowship provides a unique platform for U.S. Fulbright awardees to build awareness of transnational challenges, comparing and contrasting cross-border issues. Their stories are shared on National Geographic digital platforms using a variety of digital storytelling tools, including text, photography, video, audio, graphic illustrations and/or social media. Meet the Fellows and follow their adventures across the world on the Fulbright-National Geographic Storytelling blog.

Follow the links on the sidebar of any of the blog's pages for details and tips on how to apply for a Fellowship.